Moving In Together: How to Make it “Ours” Instead of “Yours”

Moving in with your mate is a huge step forward in your relationship. Even if you’re used to sleeping over their house and spending every second together, things are going to change when you merge living spaces. You’re going to have to figure out how to decorate the house, how to pay for your living habits, and how to make your home feel like it belongs to the both of you. If you’re planning on moving in with your partner, we have a few tips for making you both feel at home.

Go Shopping For New Furniture Together

Whether you find the idea of entering Ikea thrilling or torturous, you have to take a trip there (or wherever) together. If only one of you goes to the store, then someone may end up unhappy. Even if you’re perfect together, it’s impossible for you to have the exact same taste. So if you want to buy items that you’ll both be content with, you need to make a point to look at furniture together.

Compromise On Keeping Old Items

Unless you’re rolling in the dough, you won’t want to buy completely new furniture when you already have your own. If you and your partner both had a couch at your old apartments, decide which one that you want to keep for your new place. If you both have decorations you want to hang in your bedroom, talk about it before you place things on the walls. You’re sharing the house now, so you both need to approve of the items that go inside of it.

Distribute The Chores Equally

If you’re the only one who vacuums the floors and washes the dishes, then you’ll consider the house to be more “yours” than “ours.” That’s why you need to distribute the chores as equally as you can. It’s only fair for you two to be doing the same amount of work, because the house belongs to the both of you.

Pay The Rent Equally

If you both have jobs, you should each pay half of the rent. If you’re not a fan of the idea, then one of you can pay the rent while the other pays for groceries. The more money you spend on the place, the more it’ll feel like home.

Put Both Of Your Names On The Lease

If you’re moving into an apartment that your partner has lived in for years, ask them to add your name to the lease. If you’re not on it, then you don’t have any legal connection to the location. In order to feel like you’re an official member of the household, do the necessary paperwork.

Ask Before You Change Something

If you want to paint your bedroom a new color, talk to your partner about the change before you go ahead and do it. You don’t want to surprise them with something they hate. The property belongs to the both of you now, so you should always consult with them before you make any major changes.

Throw A Housewarming Party

Call up your friends and ask them to come over for a few drinks to celebrate your new living arrangements. It’s a great way to make living together feel official. Once everybody knows about it, there’s no going back.

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Holly is an aspiring sci-fi writer who currently writes lifestyle articles for All Women Stalk and News Cult. She's a fan of comedy movies, ridiculous puns, and is the owner of a pup named Ferris (last name Bueller).